Role of carvedilol controlled-release in cardiovascular disease.

Carvedilol is a beta(1)- and beta(2)-adrenergic receptor antagonist with additional vasodilatory alpha(1)-blocking properties. Carvedilol was shown to be more efficacious than a traditional beta-blocker for treating heart failure and improving myocardial function. Carvedilol is the only agent in its class to have been demonstrated to significantly reduce mortality and morbidity in post-myocardial-infarction patients with left ventricular dysfunction. Moreover, carvedilol does not exhibit the carbohydrate and lipid disturbances observed with other beta-blockers. Originally available as a twice-daily formulation, a controlled-release, once-daily formulation of carvedilol is now available, which has equivalent efficacy and safety, as demonstrated by numerous studies. The convenience of once-daily dosing is expected to contribute to patient adherence, thereby potentially improving long-term clinical outcomes.